I rubbed at the scabs on my left wrist gingerly, the remnants of a torture harness' restraints barely visible beneath the cuff of my new uniform's sleeve. Ignoring the dull aches of my final session, I looked up into the face of the man across from me. How he managed to scowl and smile at the same time was something I'd probably be pondering for years to come, but at least I had years, now.

On the table before me, between myself and the leader of this galaxy sat a sheet of paper. Or what looked like paper, but everyone insisted was flimsiplast. Ignoring the bruises from the restraints (and cramps, and aches and pains) I read over the document, which was helpfully translated into characters I could read.

"Your terms, as specified," Emperor Palpatine drawled as I started to read.

I nodded in agreement, before reaching for a pen. "Looks right," I replied. Then I looked him in the eye. "What about your sycophantic minions? I don't want to play jurisdiction games or deal with backroom politics. I'm doing this as a job for you, and while you may find their petty squabbling entertaining, I'd rather not have to dance around them."

Palpatine's grin disappeared. "You know their secrets, and their loyalty. You have the upper hand with the ones who disappoint me."

"And those that are loyal?"

He shrugged. "They will not interfere."

I frowned. "So, as far as the disloyal are concerned, I'm getting just enough rope to hang myself with."

Palpatine grinned, "Be sure that you don't actually hang yourself, then. And I would avoid giving them anything to use against you."

I couldn't help it, I snorted, waving the paper at him. "With this, I think they'll have plenty of ammunition to use against me, no matter what I try to do."

"Do your job, Commander, and I'll see to it that you get the recognition you require to avoid those kinds of problems," The Emperor commanded.

I bit back a smart remark and signed my name. One of the silent attendants stepped forward and took the document, before disappearing through a darkened doorway.

"Well, your majesty, it seems I have a deal to fulfill. Is the team assembled?"

"As we speak," came the curt reply.

"Then, by your leave?" I asked, bowing slightly.

"One moment, Commander," The Emperor said, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to look at him with a frown, confused. "'The Rebellion must not be destroyed. Deny them their best, allow them their inconsequential victories, and build your forces up to combat the approaching threat.' Those were your words. I've given you the means to cripple the Rebellion, and you are now sworn to do so at my behest. Succeed, and stay in a position desired by trillions, and attained by few. Fail, and I will see to it your suffering lasts a hundred lifetimes."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry as the yellow eyes bore into mine with an intensity only attainable by a Sith Lord. "You tortured me, and I resisted. You asked, and I volunteered. This task is the ultimate test of what I know, and what I can do. You've given me the lever and the fulcrum, it's time I moved the galaxy."

Palpatine flashed a smile and nodded. "Well said. Go forth, Commander, and bring justice to my Empire!"

I grinned back. "'For a safe and secure society,'" I quipped, before slipping out the main door to the conference room.

In the hall, I felt my second in command fall into step beside me. "Captain Jade. How is your blade work coming along?" I asked, casually.

In the ISB uniform, Mara Jade cut an imposing figure, but knowing her history and previous future had left me feeling more familiar. After a terse introduction, we'd managed to develop a working relationship. She hated that I'd ended her career as an Imperial Hand, but given her new role, she couldn't, and wouldn't complain. "Ask me again when we're not surrounded by people who aren't allowed to know," she muttered.

I couldn't help grinning. "Very well. The Emperor informs me that our team is assembled, I assume they're still in the dark?"

Mara nodded, "Lieutenant Solo is suspicious, due to his incident. Lieutenant Katarn is intelligent enough to figure out something is planned, but barring a security breach of unprecedented proportions, he's clueless as to what it may be. The rest are well versed in Imperial decorum."

My grin didn't fade as I shrugged. "'Hurry up and wait,' I imagine, goes much further than the Empire, Captain."

"If you insist, Commander," Jade replied. Ahead of us, a pair of stormtroopers came to attention as we approached, and Mara quietly told me "This is it," as we drew near. Ignoring the Stormtroopers, I waited for the door to open, before stepping inside, Jade a meter behind and in step with me.

Coming to an abrupt stop, I glanced around the room as its occupants came to attention. They stood motionlessly where they had been standing or sitting, and I briefly surveyed the room, admiring the view of early-morning Coruscant beyond the plastisteel windows, and the gray leather couches and padded chairs scattered about the room. A lounge of some sort, then. "Captain?" I said, turning to look at Mara before motioning towards a clear area of the floor.

"Fall in!" Captain Jade snapped. Behind me, I heard the assembled people rush to line up, and I suppressed another grin as I heard the shuffling stop as my internal count had reached seven.

I turned then, facing them and looking them over from the raised walkway in the center of the room, even as Jade moved down the line, checking their code cylinders against a data pad she'd pulled from a uniform pocket. It took her a couple minutes, and I spent the time trying to match names to faces. Some, like Kyle Katarn or Han Solo were far to familiar to not know. Others, however, were mere guesses. As I inspected them, they, in turn, inspected the far wall, eyes not moving from whatever invisible point they'd focused on, as was proper. Finally, Mara finished, and came back to stand beside me, handing over the Data pad and verbally confirming that they all were who they said they were.

I nodded at her, before waving her to the side. She smartly marched over to the right of the small formation, before ordering them to parade rest, taking the position herself along with them.

"Good Afternoon. I'm sure you're all curious as to why you're here." I paused to look them over again, before nodding to myself. "Some of you are fresh out of the academy, some of you are experienced officers. All of you were chosen by me, before the Emperor himself, for this task."

Locking my hands behind my back, I began to pace slowly before them. "This is a task, not a mission, and you are the task force. Some of you are proud Imperials. Some of you have had doubts. The Empire is the largest organization in the history of the galaxy. Because of this, people of all kinds get in. Some belong here." I turned to them. "You all, belong here." Pacing again, I continued, "others... not so much." I made my way towards the door, then paused, turning to look at them again. "Lieutenant Solo!" I barked.

The Lieutenant took a step forward and snapped to attention. "Sir!"

"You were written up for defying orders. Furthermore, a call for dismissal was filed, citing various crimes, among which were several I'm unsure are possible for humans. These charges have been dropped, and a disciplinary hearing has been scheduled for the officer who brought them up. Do you know why you are here, Lieutenant?"

Standing at attention, the stunned Lieutenant could only offer a confused "No, sir?"

"Was that a question or an answer, Lieutenant?" I asked, dryly.

"No, Sir!"

"Very good. You are here because I chose you. You have the skills and the background- And yes, I know your true background, Lieutenant- to assist me, this team, and the empire in achieving the goals you yourself desired when you applied to the Academy at Carida. Fall back in, Lieutenant."

As Solo stepped back, I resumed my pacing. "Justice. Peace. Safety. Security. These are the foundations upon which then-chancellor Palpatine formed the Empire. They are the reasons you all signed up for service, and they are what brings you here today." Turning to look them over again, I nodded. "Stand at ease."

As they relaxed marginally, turning to face me instead of the far wall, I explained quickly. "The Emperor has received reports- compelling reports- that a threat exists outside the Galaxy and is steadily making its way here. This threat, these Yuuzhan Vong, number in the billions, possess technology on par with our best, and seek to reshape the galaxy in their image, planet-by-planet." I paused to enjoy the look of shock on their faces. "That's the bad news. The good news? We have thirty years to prepare." As the shock gave way to confusion, I continued. "Unfortunately, We won't be able to prepare, as both detailed analysis and unnamed sources have indicated that, barring a critical shift in the Imperial Paradigm, the Rebellion, weak though it may seem, is likely to overthrow the Empire in around ten years."

There were several gasps, and several officers glared at me, as if my delivery was my fault, and I nodded to myself, knowing they were where I wanted them. "The ensuing power struggles, as well as the birth of a New Republic government will leave the galaxy woefully unprepared for the coming invasion. In short, the rebellion, doing what it thinks is right, dooms tens of thousands of worlds, countless species, and trillions of sentients."

The look on their faces let me know that they were hooked, and I started wrapping up my introduction. "We are not here to crush the rebellion. Lord Vader and Moff Tarkin have been tasked with that duty. We have not been tasked to take the fight to the enemy; even now, they scout us, looking for weaknesses, tracking our progress, and documenting our power. Our Emperor has forces working through known space and the unknown regions limiting what they see and hear, and controlling what they discover."

I looked them over, before grinning. "No; ladies and gentlemen, we are tasked with something far more difficult." I pointed at the window behind me, "Difficult, and yet far more rewarding." Turning to the window completely, my back to them, I finished speaking, softly. "We will bring about the critical shift in the Imperial Paradigm, and ensure that, when the Vong strike, they are met with the full fury of the Galactic Empire."

"So... What are we doing?" Someone asked.

I smirked, recognizing the voice from countless hours behind a keyboard. "Lieutenant Katarn, it's very simple. We will make the people love us." I turned around to look at him, the surprise on his face at having been discovered evident. "We will give them what they want; Justice. Peace. Safety. Security. By the order of Emperor Palpatine, We are to enforce the rules of the Empire as described by the Constitution of the New Order. The Empire tried ruling through fear. That way leads to ruin. We are the test. Succeed, and the Empire will adopt policies and practices set forth by us in the comping years. Fail, and we watch the Empire crumble around us, knowing that the Galaxy itself will soon follow."

"Officially, we're listed as an independent team of the Imperial Security Bureau's Internal Affairs department. Our official uniforms and pay will come from there, as will many of our initial resources. Our code name is 'Razgriz' and all ISB commands have been briefed to render us all possible assistance."

"And Unofficially?" A woman with red hair asked.

"Unofficially... Ladies and Gentlemen," I said with a grin, spreading my arms to indicate all of them, as well as the rising sun outside. "Welcome to the Argent Dawn."


Okay, so I haven't posted anything in over a year, and then suddenly I start something totally new?

Well, not quite. I'm still not really in the mood for NASIF or AYASIF, despite the steady number of queries and requests. This has been floating around in my brain for a while, though, so I thought I'd pound it out, and see if any more was forthcoming. In the meantime, I think... I think I might just try that Rosario + Vampire SI I mentioned in an earlier 'chapter' of Seeds.

BTW, this Star Wars snippet was basically a "What if I appeared in the Emperor's Throne room sometime before A New Hope." With enough proof and fast talking, as well as finger pointing and explaining, I get myself a team of potent imperials and proceed to turn the universe on its head by fighting corruption, power abuse, and other issues that lead to public outcry against the Empire. Of course, by taking some of the Rebellion's best, we (Palpatine and I, and others, eventually) have to keep the Rebellion going to justify the constant upgrading and deployment of ships and armies. Also, we'd have to ensure that certain events either happen or don't, depending on the outcome. In the end, I think it would feel a bit like an NCIS meets Star Wars meets.. Citizen Kane? Something like that, anyway. But time to sleep. Tomorrow is the day before Thanksgiving, and I have plans.